Friends and supporters celebrate at the Annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 2018

This December, Friends and Supporters of the Mission to Seafarers came together at St. Michael Paternoster Royal, the International HQ of the Mission to Seafarers, for our annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

During the service and reception, The Mission to Seafarers reaffirmed its commitment to developing new mental health services in 2019 in response to increasing concerns around mental wellbeing at sea.

Speaking to many leading industry figures, including the UK Shipping Minister, at its annual Festival of Nine Carols & Lessons in London, the Mission acknowledged the work many shipping companies are doing to tackle issues such as loneliness and isolation, but called for a renewed focus on reaching vulnerable seafarers who may be unable to access existing resources.

The Mission also recognised the vital work of its frontline teams of port chaplains, centre managers and volunteers, who address seafarers’ mental health every day of the year. This year the Mission received a Highly Commended distinction at the Safety at Sea 2018 Awards for its shoreside services. Shoreside support is particularly vital at this time of year; whether it’s visiting ships, offering pastoral support or delivering Christmas gift parcels – often the only gift a seafarer will receive on Christmas Day.

“While many of the stresses that seafarers face are the same as they were 20 years ago, new concerns are emerging as more and more ships start to provide internet access to their crew.

“Our Seafarers’ Happiness Index, which uses the data from our conversations with thousands of seafarers around the globe, clearly shows that a lack of connectivity is one of the greatest issues facing seafarers today.

“Many cite poor or no connectivity as a major contributor towards unhappiness at work, leading to increased pressure on mental health. If shipping companies want to retain happy and motivated seafarers, they will have to ensure their crews have access to fast and reliable internet.

“However, we recognise that with greater connectivity comes other pressures for seafarers. Access to real-time news about what is going on back home can also add to stress and anxiety.

“Consequently, the Mission is rolling out new programmes in 2019 in response to this key issue, which will complement our existing services.”

The Mission also announced that it will continue to develop and expand its global services around key maritime hubs across the globe to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving sector.

Last month, the Mission signed an MoU with the Panama Maritime Authority for the provision of seafarer welfare services – the first of its kind in the region. The agreement will enable the Mission to establish welfare services at all major Panamanian ports, including the Panama Canal, one of the busiest waterways in the world.

At this year’s Festival of Nine Carols & Lessons, the Mission welcomed Shell as its new headline sponsor. It also thanked Silver sponsors Ince & Co and Wärtsilä, and Bronze sponsor Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. The carol service included readings from a number of high-profile industry figures, including Ms Nusrat Ghani MP, UK Shipping Minister, and Dr Grahaeme Henderson, VP Shipping & Maritime at Shell and President of the UK Chamber of Shipping from 2016-18.

The service was followed by a reception, attended by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, President of The Mission to Seafarers, where she met loyal supporters of the Mission.

The Mission has launched a Christmas campaign to raise awareness of the issues currently facing seafarers, particularly the loneliness many feel around the festive period as a result of being separated from their families and loved ones.

So far, over £40,000 has been raised from online donations and sponsorship of the Christmas carol service - all of which will go towards running the Mission’s vital welfare services across the globe, including its new support network in Panama.

It is a term and condition of a reader accessing and reading The Mission to Seafarers’ website that The Mission to Seafarers disclaims all warranties whether express or implied. The Mission to Seafarers does not accept any liability for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential loss of business profits or special damages arising from material on The Mission to Seafarers’ website. Part of our service to visitors to our site is links to external websites. The Mission to Seafarers is not responsible for the content of these Internet sites.

The Mission to Seafarers endeavours to ensure that the information on its website is correct but does not accept any liability for error or omission.